Mental Health Assessment - What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment?
If you suffer from an issue with your mental health it is crucial to seek assistance. Mental illness is as serious as physical illness.
Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of age, gender or race. APP acknowledges the need to combat discrimination.
What is a Mental Health Assessment?
A mental health assessment is an examination that aims to assess how someone is functioning psychologically, socially and developmentalally. It can also be used to diagnose conditions such as depression and neurological diseases such as dementia.
A healthcare professional will interview the patient and assess their physical condition during an initial assessment. They may inquire about the patient's health issues and what's been occurring. They also test the person's ability to think and reason, as well as remember (cognitive function).
When assessing, a variety of tests can be conducted. They can be formal and standardized or informal and non-standardized. These tools could include a checklist of problems and a memory test or self-report screening tool such as the GHQ or MMSE. These tools can either be administered by general practitioners or by mental health professionals.
Sometimes, patients will require tests in the lab to diagnose a disorder. These tests may include blood or urine samples. These tests are usually not painful. The only discomfort could be caused by the injection of blood which may be felt as a small pinch or itching. In more serious cases, an MRI or EEG scan might be required.
It is essential for healthcare professionals to have the most accurate picture when they carry out an assessment. This includes taking into consideration the patient's family history, lifestyle, and the surroundings in which they live. This information will be considered when deciding on the most appropriate method of treatment for the patient.
What should happen during an assessment at a mental health facility?
The examination is a chance for health professionals to listen and comprehend your situation. It is important that you make use of this opportunity to talk about your concerns and ask questions. You should be well-informed about the various treatment options to make an educated decision.
It is important to be greeted with a warm, welcoming, empathic and respectful manner by staff on arrival (NICE, 2009b). Individuals who want to wait on their own or in a group need to have a comfortable waiting space.
During the mental assessment the doctor will ask you about your thoughts and feelings, how they affect your daily routine and whether or not you've tried to manage your symptoms on your own. Your doctor will also observe the way you conduct yourself. For instance, they might examine your speech and if you make eye contact. They will also test your memory and ability to reason by asking you simple questions such as recalling short lists or naming common objects and shapes.
If you fall under section 2 of the Mental Health Act, your AMHP will assist and guide you throughout the process of assessing you. You can invite a relative or friend to the appointment or opt to have an advocate who is a professional representing your interests and opinions. They can be volunteers, like charity workers, or professionals, like lawyers.
Some people find it difficult to discuss their emotional well-being with health professionals, especially when they've had bad experiences in the past. Children may not realize that changes in their moods or behavior can be a reason for worry. Other families may not know where to go for help. It is crucial that all healthcare professionals are aware of the consequences of previous poor experiences and that they work hard to establish a trusting relationship.
What should I do if I'm unhappy with the results of the test?
If you've been referred to under the Mental Health Act and you are not satisfied with the results you may make an appeal to the CQC. Learn more about how to make complaints for more details.
People who use mental health services typically have a lot of different appointments with a range of specialists and may find it difficult to keep track of them all. It is essential to try and be as open and honest as you can to the person doing your assessment. If you are not then the professional could get a wrong picture of how you are doing and this could affect your treatment.
A mental illness is a condition that may affect your mood, thinking and behaviour. It can cause difficulties with relationships, work and daily activities. Depression, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia are all common conditions. You can seek help for a mental illness from your doctor as well as your family and friends or by visiting a local NHS CAMHS.
The proper assessment and treatment is crucial to improving your mental health. NHS England works hard to make sure everyone receives the proper treatment at the right time. This includes reducing wait times and ensuring that the right information is available to anyone who needs it. To support this, we are changing the way that we record and share information.
We would like to see all local mental health services able to keep and share information like other NHS organizations. This will increase safety and the quality of treatment. Our goal is for all providers to have access to accurate and up-to-date data, in real time regardless of where they are. This is part of the NHS's commitment to Data Saves Lives, which aims to reduce the barriers to efficient sharing of information within the health and social care system.
What should I do if need to seek a second opinion?
You are able to take action if you believe that health professionals involved in the assessment of your case don't consider your opinion seriously. You can ask your manager to send another professional out to review your case, or call an NHS helpline in your area for support. If you reside in England the NHS has a service known as EIT (Emergency Intervention Team) which will send a crisis response team out to your home. You can also seek advice from local volunteer groups or charities, like Mind or Rethink.
You may want to get an additional opinion, either by a medical professional or another physician. Your GP is also able to provide an additional opinion. This is a good idea in case you are uncertain about your diagnosis or treatment options, or if there is disagreement between doctors regarding the most appropriate method of treatment.
A study published in American Journal of Medicine found second opinions to be of substantial value and cost a fraction of what the first opinion would have been. The reason for this is that experts are able to provide new perspectives and information that can alter the course of care for a patient.
Another reason for seeking a second opinion is that the initial doctor or healthcare professional may have missed a possible cause or impact of your symptoms. This could be due to various reasons, including misdiagnosis and simply not taking the time to listen attentively to your story.
Dementech can arrange a private mental assessment with one of our psychiatrists. We offer standard consultations lasting 50 minutes, and we partner with most major private insurance providers to ensure that your psychiatric treatment is covered. If, however, you do not have insurance, we are still in a position to provide top quality and affordable care.
What should happen if I need a second opinion from a specialist?
You should be able to arrange a second opinion if you are dissatisfied with your mental health evaluation results. It's not a legal right however, most doctors are willing to facilitate it. You can ask the mental health service or your GP to arrange this. They should be able to provide you information about local advocacy services.
The doctor will look at and possibly conduct further tests like blood tests and X-rays. The doctor will discuss their findings with you as well as the treatment options available to you. This could include medication or hospitalization, as well as other options. The doctor will take into consideration your gender, age and social background, as well as sexual orientation, religion and disability as well as religious beliefs when talking with you.
A second opinion is useful because it lets you compare medical advice and get an updated view of your healthcare situation from a different doctor. It can give you more confidence in your diagnosis and treatment options, and provide more information on possible adverse effects.
There could be a good reason to want an additional opinion. You might be worried that you suffer from an unusual or rare condition and want an opinion from a medical professional regarding the diagnosis and treatment options. Perhaps you've seen other treatments your provider doesn't offer and you're wondering whether they're safe for you.
A private Psychiatrist will usually meet with you within a couple of days and has access to your entire health history. They can also arrange for an online video consultation through Skype or Facetime and a medical report to be directly sent to your GP.